Open Letter from the Trustees
The Trustees have been working diligently to maintain and spruce up the property of RUMC. We have been working on the parsonage to get it ready for our new pastor and his family to begin moving in during June. We have been adding new paint and replacing the old carpet with tile and generally giving the parsonage a much-needed upgrade. We are in the process of making repairs to the septic system and to the air conditioning there as well.
We are also working on the church campus to make it more inviting and safe for all the visitors to our property.
The RUMC Trustees would like to give everyone the opportunity to give service to your church. There are numerous projects, some big and some small, that invite your assistance.
There is a wide-scale misconception that Joe Cornell is the church’s maintenance man. However, Joe is a part-time employee whose duties are primarily custodial. Most major maintenance and repair tasks must be addressed directly by other church members or by hiring an outside contractor. So, if you see something that needs to be fixed, don’t assume that “Joe will handle it”; instead, please advise one of the Trustees, or leave a message in the Trustee’s mail box located in the church office.
Initially, we are looking for volunteers to spend some time each week riding the church’s lawn mower. The spring rains are upon us, and the grass will need to be mowed every week. If you have an hour or two during the week (or even once a month), and you can drive a car, you can help by riding our mower
Other maintenance projects include sanding and painting the handrails around the sanctuary, changing lightbulbs in Crichton Hall, re-surfacing the handicap ramp in front of the sanctuary, and so on. Our campus is a house of God, and like all houses, it needs constant care and attention.
We are also putting together a list of projects that need funding. Through donations of extra funds (not part of our normal tithes and offerings), we can buy materials or find a contractor to complete a medium-size project. The Trustees are currently compiling a list of potential projects with a budget for each one.
The Trustees will continue the work of making our church and grounds inviting, accessible, and safe for everyone. But the greater the participation by members of our congregation, the lighter the burden, and the more fulfilling the results.
Online Giving at RUMC
Giving online is easy and allows you to set up automatic recurring contributions and view your complete online giving history from anywhere you have access to the Internet. Or you can enter one-time contributions from the internet or by smart phone.
To get started, simply follow these easy steps:
- Click on the Online Giving button below. This will take you to our church’s online giving webpage.
- Click on our Create Profile button on that webpage.
- Follow the onscreen instructions to create an online profile and to schedule your recurring or one-time contributions.
Welcome Rev. Telcy and His Family
The Reverend Louis Telcy will begin serving this congregation on July 1st, as Pastor Merritt begins his retirement after eight years at RUMC. Please make Pastor Louis and his family feel welcome.
Go to the article below to find out more about our new clergyperson, Rev. Telcy.
RESTORE Yard Sale
RESTORE will have a yard sale on Saturday, June 9th from 8:00 AM until 1:00 PM. If you would like to donate items for the sale, or if you want to volunteer to help, please contact Dawn Parks or someone at RESTORE, and let them know.
Upcoming Worship Notes
Sunday, June 10th will be Baptism Sunday. We will conduct baptisms and accept new members during a joint service on that day. (If you are ready to join our church family as a full member, now is the time to let the church office know.) The Care Committee and SPRC will also be sponsoring a retirement luncheon for Pastor Merritt immediately following the service.
Sunday, June 17th is not only Father’s Day, but it is Pastor Merritt’s final service with us. Pastor Merritt will be taking his last vacation between Monday, June 18th and Saturday, June 30th. During that two-week period, Pastor Rick Phillips will be our emergency clergy contact. You will be able to reach Rick at (813)503-7933.
On Sunday, June 24th, we will have a guest pastor—the Rev. Gary Hallam. Pastor Hallam serves as a clergyperson for Harvester UMC in Land ‘O Lakes, Florida.
We look forward to having our new pastor, Louis Telcy, and his family with us on Sunday, July 1st at a joint service. Immediately following the service, we will have a “Welcome Lunch” in Crichton Fellowship Hall. We will be serving Cuban Sandwiches and Bean Soup, and we invite the congregation to bring a Pie or Cobbler for dessert.
Rolling River Rampage!
This year’s Vacation Bible School will be held on evenings in July—from Monday, July 16th through Friday, July 20th from 6:30-8:30 PM. This year’s theme is Rolling River Rampage, which invites children on a white-water rafting adventure to experience the ride of a lifetime with God! Along the river, they discover that life with God is an adventure full of wonder and surprise and that they can trust God to be with them through anything. Wonderful music, exciting science, creative crafts, fun recreation and memorable Bible stories will help kids know that God is always with them as they ride rapids of His amazing grace!
For more information, to register your children, or to volunteer to help, contact Rolinda Smoak at 453-0190.
8002 U. S. Highway 301 South, Riverview, FL 33578 813-677-5995
Sunday Services
Faith Groups/Sunday School, 9:00 AM-9:55 AM
Relationships/Refreshment, 10:00 AM-10:25 AM
Worship Service, 10:30 AM
Hispanic Worship Service
12:00 Noon
Rev. Merritt Waters, Pastor
Norma Encarnacion, Lay Pastor, Hispanic Congregation
Here at Riverview First United Methodist Church, it is our mission to win people to Christ, to train believers to become disciples, and to send disciples to impact our community and the world for Jesus Christ.
Download the June, 2018
Bell Newsletter from this link.
Download the Prayer Tree for
June 3, 2018 from this link.
Bible Passage of the Week
You Are Blessed …
When Jesus saw his ministry drawing
huge crowds, he climbed a hillside. Those
who were apprenticed to him, the
committed, climbed with him. Arriving at
a quiet place, he sat down and taught his
climbing companions. This is what he said:
“You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.
“You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.
“You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are—no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought.
“You’re blessed when you’ve worked up a good appetite for God. He’s food and drink in the best meal you’ll ever eat.
“You’re blessed when you care. At the moment of being ‘care-full,’ you find yourselves cared for.
“You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.
“You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family.
“You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom.
“Not only that—count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don’t like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble.
Matthew 5:1-12 (The Message)
The 2018 Florida Annual Conference
The 2018 Annual Conference of the Florida UMC Conference will be held from June 7-9 at Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida. The theme for the conference is “Remembering Who We Are.” As we get closer to the Conference time, additional information will be available from this website.
A highlight of the conference is the retirement ceremony for retiring clergy, including our own pastor, Pastor Merritt Waters. That ceremony will be held on Friday, June 8th at 1:30 PM.
Carole Bradley has agreed to represent our church as Lay Leader for the conference.
YouTube videos of the Easter Cantata and the Easter Sonrise Service on the River can be viewed from the Services Page.
Calendar of Upcoming Events
Thursday, June 7—
Saturday, June 9
Florida UMC Annual Conference. Florida Southern University, Lakeland
Friday, June 8
Florida Conference Clergy Retirement Service. Florida Southern University, 1:30 PM.
Saturday, June 9
RESTORE Yard Sale. Church Grounds, 8 AM-1 PM
Sunday, June 10
Baptism Sunday. Sanctuary 10:30 AM (Joint service.)
Pastor Merritt’s Retirement Luncheon. Crichton Fellowship Hall, 11:45 AM
Tuesday, June 12
Finance Committee Meeting. Library 7:00 PM
Friday, June 15
Verlin O’Neal’s Memorial Service. Sanctuary, 11:00 AM
Saturday, June 16
Lucile Robinson 90th Birthday Celebration. Crichton Fellowship Hall, 4:00 PM
Sunday, June 17
Father’s Day Service. Sanctuary, 10:30 AM (Pastor Merritt’s Final Service.)
Sunday, June 24
Special Speaker Service. Rev. Gary Hallam, Sanctuary, 10:30 AM
Sunday, July 1
Welcome our New Pastor. Sanctuary, 10:30 AM (Joint Service)
Welcome Lunch. Crichton Fellowship Hall, 11:45 AM
Monday, July 16-Friday, July 20
Vacation Bible School (Rolling River Rampage). Church Buildings and Grounds, 6:30-8:30 PM
Pastoral Change at Riverview UMC
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens. With a mixture of sadness and joy, we recognize and honor Pastor Merritt who is retiring in June from active service as a full-time pastor. His last Sunday as our Pastor will be June 17. The prior Sunday, June 10, we hope you all will join us for Pastor Merritt’s retirement reception immediately after the 10:30 AM worship service. We will miss his leadership, but we have no doubt that he will continue his good work to extend the kingdom of heaven. And we welcome him and his family to remain a part of our church family in his retirement.
Our church will be welcoming our new pastor and his family effective July 1. Reverend Louis Telcy and his wife, Claudie, are coming to us from Mt. Zion United Methodist Church in Clearwater. They will be moving into our parsonage in June with two daughters – ages 6 and 8, and another 19-year-old daughter who will be with them when she’s not in school at Florida Southern College in Lakeland. The Telcys also have two adult daughters—one in West Palm Beach and the other in New York.
Pastor Louis is originally from Haiti. He was adopted by a Methodist minister and graduated from Haines City High School. He then graduated from Warner Southern College with a B.A. in Ministry and went on to earn a Master of Divinity in 2005 from Duke Divinity School in Durham, North Carolina. Since then, he has led churches in Naples, New Port Richey, and most recently in Clearwater.
Pastor Louis loves the Lord and loves people. He seeks to help people identify their spiritual gifts and, with the help of the Holy Spirit, equip them to develop leadership within Jesus’ Church. He loves spending time with people and is passionate about visiting in hospitals, nursing homes, or wherever. He spent three years as a hospice chaplain while he was in Naples. He loves planning with his worship team every month how to improve our worship time together. He says, “The more I preach the gospel of the crucified and resurrected Christ, I become more passionate about it.”
In our denomination, appointments are made by the Conference Cabinet, which consists of the Bishop together with all the District Superintendents. After conferring with members of our congregation, our Church’s Staff Parish Relations Committee provided a Church Profile that described our church and what we felt we needed in a pastor. We then met with our District Superintendent (Reverend Dr. Candace Lewis) before the appointment process to discuss our needs. After the Cabinet appointment session, the SPRC committee again met with Dr. Lewis to learn about Reverend Telcy and to endorse his appointment to our church. When our committee reviewed Reverend Telcy’s profile we were struck by how many of the needs we had heard from our congregation were addressed. It really was a WOW experience knowing that God surely had his hand in this appointment. We know Pastor Louis and his family will be a blessing to us and to our community, and we pray we can bless and minister to them as they become a part of our church family. There will be a welcome reception July 1.
Mindy Williams, Chairperson
Staff-Parish Relations Committee
Rev. Louis Telcy
